Fostering
It's important that you feel supported and confident in your role as a foster carer. We want to make sure that foster placements work, for both you and the child. We can offer you as much help and advice as you need. You'll have regular opportunities to attend training to make sure you have the skills and knowledge required to meet a child's needs.
Training
Before you can be approved as a foster carer you'll need to attend a preparation for fostering course. If you're a couple you'll both need to attend.
All new foster carers also have to complete a national standard level of training within 18 months of taking on the role. It's important to make sure that you're competent and safe in your new role. Our training helps to you develop the skills and knowledge that you'll need to support the child you'll be caring for. If you've got some prior experience of working with children and young people we'll take this into account as evidence towards meeting the standard. You can read more about the training, support and development standards for foster care on the GOV.UK website.
When you're fostering we'll continue to offer you training. This includes the opportunity to take NVQ qualifications as part of our Payment for Skills scheme. For each level you achieve you'll receive an increased allowance. Take at look at how much you'll get paid for details.
Your fostering social worker will help you to identify the courses that you need to attend. We'll also work with you on a personal development plan and a training profile.
Foster carer training program
There's lots of resources available to you as a foster carer:
- training courses
- POD eLearning
- KCA Training eLearning
- Rees Centre eLearning
- access to Research in Practice
If you're a newly approved foster carer you'll need to complete the Training Standards and Development Workbook (TSDW) in your first year of approval.
Courses
There are some specific courses which run only for foster carers.
- Paediatric First Aid. This is a three-day course that is taught and certificated and lasts for three years.
- Solihull Training Course. This course is a 10-week programme, with two cohorts running twice a year.
- FLAG (Fostering Lasting Attachments Group).
- Level 3 Diploma for the Children’s and Young People’s Workforce: Social Care Pathway (England). This course is available for foster carers two years after approval.
POD eLearning
Courses on POD include:
- Assertive communication
- Basic autism awareness
- Child sexual exploitation
- Down’s syndrome awareness
- Drug and alcohol awareness
- Emotional intelligence
- Epilepsy awareness
- Female genital mutilation
- Fire safety
- Food safety awareness
- Hate and mate crime
- Modern slavery and human trafficking
- Nutritional awareness
- Prevent
- Self-harm
- Smoking awareness
- Spelling, grammar and punctuation
- Stress management
- Toothbrushing club
- Trans awareness
KCA Training eLearning
KCA Training eLearning courses can be viewed without an account. Visit the KCA Training website and select the eLearning tab.
How to apply
Inform your supervising social worker of the course you wish to take. This ensures that only appropriate training is being undertaken. Only one eLearning module per household can be done.
When your application is processed you'll receive an email from KCA Training with details of the course. You'll need to log in on the KCA Training website to complete the course.
Research in Practice (RiP) learning
We're partners of RiP who have over 20-years of experience in developing resources and learning opportunities for people who work with children and young people. Topics cover subjects like:
- attachment
- child development
- online abuse
- mental health
- sexual abuse
- exploitation
Information is provided as briefings, practical tools, webinars and eLearning modules. Find out about RiP resources and learning.
Courses
Course include:
- Children experiencing domestic abuse
- Conduct disorder
- Neglect
- Play in outdoor spaces
- Safeguarding in the 21st century
- Under the influence
RiP accounts
RiP have created accounts for our foster carers and you should have received an email with your login and password. You can get a reminder or reset your RiP password on their website.
They resources are for group work or individual learning. Include your learning activities in your record of development they're as important as any face-to-face training you do.
If you aren’t sure if you're registered for an account email suzannahrockett@barnsley.gov.uk or call (01226) 775639.
What our foster carers say
"The training I received was excellent and a very enjoyable experience. I've got excellent support too and never feel on my own if I have difficulties. I've never regretted my decision to become a foster carer."